Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Willie-Jay

Willie-Jay is Perry's prison mentor—not that it does either of them a lot of good. Willie-Jay was a fellow inmate of Perry's who thought that Perry had a lot of untapped potential. Since that's exactly how Perry views himself, he sees Willie-Jay as the only person who understands him, and he accepts his advice and guidance. He's the person who Perry was rushing to meet in Kansas, because Willie-Jay is about to be released from prison. If Perry can meet up with Willie-Jay, he plans to brush off Dick's "score" at the Clutter home idea. Unfortunately, Perry missed seeing Willie-Jay, and the rest, as they say, is history.